Michael Pollan Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex free essay sample

My reasons for doing this are as follows: I want to eat locally grown produce; I want to reduce the use of chemicals in the food I eat; I want to reduce my carbon footprint by buying local, non-corporate food; I prefer to support local farmers, especially in a down economy; by subscribing rather than just buying at a farmer’s market, I’m showing my commitment to organic farming; and I will eat a broader range of vegetables as a result. By doing this, I am hoping to improve my own health while also, I hope, reducing the environmental costs of corporate farming. Michael Pollan’s â€Å"Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,† Rachel Carson’s â€Å"The Human Cost,† and Peter Huber’s â€Å"How Cities Green the Planet† each provide insight into the way the organic farming practices are influencing the health of people and the planet. However, there are overlooked human costs to buying organic food: not everyone can afford it, and on organic farms, farmworkers may be more at risk for Valley fever and mosquito-borne illnesses. We will write a custom essay sample on Michael Pollan Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nevertheless, organic farming practices have the best interests of the environment and of the humans living on the planet in mind. Paragraph #2 Lately we have been hearing a lot about buying local food, but many wonder whether it is healthier and better tasting than food that has come from longer distances. One benefit of local food is that the consumer knows exactly where it is coming from, and that may make the consumer feel better about eating it. A common definition of local food is food that comes from a single bioregion, which is a rather flexible term. For the purposes of this essay, food will be considered local if it comes from within a one-hundred mile radius. Why is eating and supporting locally grown food beneficial? Michael Pollan’s â€Å"Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,† Rachel Carson’s â€Å"The Human Cost,† and Peter Huber’s â€Å"How Cities Green the Planet† each provide insight into the way locally sourced food is influencing the health of people and the planet. If you buy food grown by a giant corporation, you are likely harming the planet and possibly yourself because of the large carbon footprint and chemical residue of â€Å"corporatized† food. However, if you buy locally grown food, you support renewable farming practices and this leads to a healthier planet, a healthier you, and a healthier local economy.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Think globally, eat locally. † We have been hearing this slogan a lot lately, but many of us do not yet know what it means to eat locally. We can often eat locally by buying from farmers markets, supporting small farms, and shopping at the local food co-op. Sometimes, however, the food in these places might come from too far away to be considered local. For the purposes of this essay, food will be considered local if it comes from within a one-hundred mile radius. Is eating and supporting locally grown food beneficial? Michael Pollan’s â€Å"Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,† Rachel Carson’s â€Å"The Human Cost,† and Peter Huber’s â€Å"How Cities Green the Planet† each provide insight into the way locally sourced food is influencing the health of people and the planet. Locally sourced food is picked ripe, thereby having a better flavor and more nutrients; the carbon footprint may be lower because it is not transported so far; and buying local food stimulates your local economy. All this is well and good, but there is not enough locally sourced food available to feed everyone in a particular region, and locally sourced food may not be grown or transported as efficiently as food grown elsewhere. While many are concerned that there is not enough locally sourced food available to feed everyone in a particular region, and locally sourced food may not be grown or transported as efficiently as food grown elsewhere, it is still in our best interests to consume locally sourced food whenever possible. Locally sourced food is picked ripe, thereby having a better flavor and more nutrients; the carbon footprint may be lower because it is not transported so far; and buying local food stimulates your local economy.